I wouldn’t call myself a complainer, really. It’s not usually where I come from.
I generally don’t get too caught in listing all that’s wrong in and around me or in dwelling on what’s causing me pain and stress.
I generally don’t get too caught, but I can get caught. And for today, at least, I choose to be less caught.
Because when I focus on what’s not working or on who’s letting me down, I feel more frustrated and, honestly, more let down. When I focus on what’s working and what (and who) brings a smile to my face, I generally have more of a smile on my face.
So, for today I can choose to have more of a smile on my face. I can choose to complain less and praise more.
It seems simple. In many ways it’s a complete no-brainer. And yet it can be so deceptively damn hard to do.
In my defense, our brains have evolved to look for what’s wrong in order to fix it. To search out the danger lurking behind the trees, so that we can find safety from the danger lurking behind the trees. (Spoiler alert – there usually isn’t any actual danger lurking behind the trees.) To want what we want, and to lash out at others (or at life) when we don’t get what we want. When what we want seems elusive.
Our brains have evolved to be Teflon for the good things (“good things” slip off and disappear from our memory easily) and Velcro for the bad things (“bad things” stick forever and seem impossible to forget or move past).
For today – for this moment – I’m going to play with rewiring that wiring. I’m going to play with looking past the things (and people) that frustrate and disappoint me and noticing, listing, dwelling on, and celebrating what’s going well.
I’m going to complain less and praise more.
Want to try it with me (and tell me how it goes)?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, and please share this post with others if it resonates with you!
Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash
